[In the following review, Hodson points out that Endo writes about heavy themes in his novel Deep River, but that he "explores them with a lightness of touch that avoids sensationalism."]

Shusaku Endo is a strong candidate to win Japan's next Nobel prize for literature. He's also a Christian. So far, so good. But sitting in the shade beside a pool in Umbria, or huddled on the beach at Southwold, Spectator readers might think twice before choosing his book—about a group of Japanese pilgrims going to Benares—for holiday reading. Japan, Christianity, India … it all seems a bit too much like hard work. Why not settle for the real stuff that's safe, familiar and predictable—another helping of exclamation marks from Julie Burchill, or something nice...